


Is the Devil Evil If He Punishes The Guilty?

by ATouchOfCommonSense



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Consciousness VS Subconscious, Deceit Sanders-centric, Hurt Deceit Sanders, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, Light Sides VS Dark Sides, Metaphors In The Mindpalace, Morally Neutral Deceit Sanders, POV Deceit Sanders, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders, Unreliable Narrator, rated for language
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22631554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATouchOfCommonSense/pseuds/ATouchOfCommonSense
Summary: Deceit and Anxiety maybe weren't always the nicest when they knew each other, but who was in the Subconscious? Everyone’s a little bit of an ass when life shits.*In which Deceit goes on a quest to the Light Side and has to deal with the consequences.
Relationships: Deceit Sanders & Original Male Character(s), Past Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Deceit Sanders
Comments: 9
Kudos: 143





	Is the Devil Evil If He Punishes The Guilty?

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoy! I am always trying to improve my writing so any suggestions or commentary would be wonderful! I do not have a Beta so I apologize if there are any typos.
> 
> *
> 
> Takes place directly after “Can LYING Be Good?”

That was his last chance. His last chance to convince them that he wasn't the bad guy and he blew it.

Deceit knew that nobody liked lying; it was deceptive and wrong and it hurt people. But sometimes, lying helped people. He knew that that was true.

So Deceit had the oh so clever idea to introduce lying as a moral and right thing to do by posing as Patton. Never did he dream that he would fail at lying so terribly, becoming so desperate and fall so far out of character that the other sides called him out for it. 

The plan was to pose as Patton, get accepted by Thomas before the other sides caught on, change back, and ultimately become a light side. The sides, in turn, would have to accept him because he would live in their realm. His plan made perfect sense initially. He thought he had nothing to lose and everything to gain, after all.

Obviously, he was unable to pose as Patton. Maybe he should have posed as Logan. Tell Thomas that lying was the logical solution. Yes, that may have been smarter. But Patton had the most sway over Thomas! He did everything with his heart!

But it was too late to think about what could have been. Dwelling on all of the things he did wrong on that train wreck of an experience would only make returning to his so called home more painful.

Speaking of the Dark Sides, Deceit walked slowly down the dimly lit hallway that held their rooms in neat lines down either side in defeat. Debris littered the concrete that echoed off the poorly painted and narrow walls with every careful step Deceit took. Each crunch and click of the ground harshly told everyone that he had failed in his attempt to become light.  
Ever since Anxiety (Virgil, as the Light Sides called him) revealed himself to Thomas and became eventually accepted as part of their cute little family, the Dark Sides had come up will various plans over the years to express their values to Thomas, (how they just wanted to protect him!) but every time they had failed because the Light Sides prevented even an abbreviated version of an exchange. They love Anxiety as their own now, but they don't want a repeat of his arrival. When a Dark Side shows up, their traits can be magnified to the point of harm to the host if things got out of hand. When Anxiety was recognized, Thomas was so anxious that he stopped doing the things he loved to do. Roman was furious. Patton was distraught. Logan was ignored. 

The Light Sides would never admit it, but Deceit had his suspicions that they were scared Thomas would allow the Dark Sides to show up in The Consciousness if he knew about them. Deceit doesn’t think the others could handle it if Thomas invited the Dark Sides upstairs. It is for this reason they stayed in essentially the dungeon of Thomas's mind.

Deceit didn't want to crawl home with his tail between his legs, but he can't say he's too surprised by his defeat. Only one Dark Side has ever made it to the light and even then some resentment is still harbored for him.

On a better note, Thomas knows who Deceit is now. He didn't have a room in the Consciousness because he wasn't accepted, but he could still show up when he pleased. In fact, that is just how Virgil performed his job for the first few years after showing up in Thomas's life.

In his deep thought, Deceit finally reached his room at the end of the echoey hall and opened his door who's hinges were battered beyond the point of full function. When his door opened as wide as it could, just big enough for him to slip through, he made his way inside to his room and relaxed his cold expression. He menacing glare that so often accompanied him these days was to scare off the Dark Sides if they decided they wanted to “chat”. 

Deceit was under no delusion regarding the true nature of his brethren.

The Dark Sides were far from perfect. They were mean and cold in the best of times, violent in the worst of them. They lashed out when scared or threatened and they did everything in their power to protect Thomas, even if that meant harming others in the process. But at least they didn't exclude people from their dysfunctional family. Everyone was welcome to join the shit show if they so desired. Some of them have been around for Thomas’s entire life, some of them developed with the evolution of his personality. Not once has someone been shamed for who they are. It's not something that anyone could change so it would be ridiculously shallow to bully them about it.

Deceit rubbed his face as a man who hadn't slept for many months and sunk tiredly onto his frameless mattress.

After settling in, he thought back to the disaster of earlier against his better judgement. It was a mess, that much was true, but he knew one good thing came out of it. Thomas knew about him. He could travel to the Consciousness.

That's good.

Oh God, what does he even want to do in the Consciousness? Get a taste of what he failed to obtain, what he will most likely never have? So he can see just how amazing Anx’s life has become with his new “family”?

Deceit didn't want to see that. In fact, he didn't want to see any of the sides at all. Not the Dark Sides, not the Light Sides. He was fine—great even—by himself. 

Despite his feelings on the matter, did want to know how Anxiety is being treated up there. Were they as bubbly and kind to him as they claimed, he wondered.

Still, he was perfectly fine by himself.

*

Around three in the morning, Deceit found himself sneaking out of his dimly lit room into the pitch black hallway of his dwelling. Down the hall he went, taking care not to crunch on the loose floor too much and alert the others. He ran his gloved hand carefully across the doors, counting, predicting when the steps to the Consciousness would grow near. He shuffled through the dark until his toe hit the first step softly and he began his ascend to the light.

The Consciousness was much louder than the Subconscious. Not much louder volume-wise, but louder with calming sounds that flooded Deceit’s ears and greatly contrasted from the pin drop silence that consumed him a moment before. He heard the soft tick of a clock and the sound of someone breathing quietly, deep in sleep. Faintly, the sound of a washing machine running could be heard along with a lullaby of piano music off in the distance. It was like a fantasy land.

The Consciousness smelt different, too. It smelt like deserts and old books, like someone had just bundled up in front of a fire with a sugar cookie and a classic, planning to stay for a while. It was inviting rather than repelling.

Deceit understood why Anx never came back. He didn’t think Anxiety had the will to leave even if he wanted to. Excluding the power surge that one got from getting into the Consciousness, everything about this little home felt so tranquil and safe that it made you feel like you should never leave.

He should never leave.

Even so, he can't stay here. He was just taking a look around, nicking some necessities that won't be missed, and leaving. Simple. Temporary. 

Resolute in his decision, Deceit started his expedition. He first looked around the room he was currently in, the living room. There were piles upon piles of DVDs from Disney to documentaries to dramas stacked to the side of a huge flat screen. The gigantic couch facing the tv was so fluffy that it looked more like an overstuffed bed than anything else. Five grown people could fit nicely on that couch.

Deceit looked around cautiously, as if someone might be up at this ungodly hour. Seeing nothing, Deceit began to rationalize. It wouldn't hurt to sit for a second. No one would see him. Not if he only sat for a moment.

After sinking into the heavenly cushion as slowly as he possibly could, he let out a sigh of pure contentment. He imagined Anx, Roman, Patton, and Logan all sitting on this couch laughing and joking about unimportant things while an uplifting movie played in the background. He bets that Anxiety would fall asleep on Patton in due time (he never did get enough sleep). Patton would pet his hair while whispering to Roman who would be trying to prove a silly point to him and convince Logan to defend his idea. Logan would refuse and side with Patton. Roman, in turn, would huff and pout but ultimately they would all end up smiling and no hard feelings would develop.

Deceit found himself smirking at his little fantasy. Wouldn't it be something to be part of that?

After a handful of blissful minutes, Deceit found his eyes growing heavy. Even though he would have loved with all his heart to sleep on something comfy and safe for once, his tired state reminded him that he had to get moving. He didn't know the lights schedule and they could be up in as little as an hour if they were early birds. He couldn't afford to be caught. While the lights are mostly nice and caring, they harbor a deep fear towards the darks. Deceit would hate to be found on the wrong end of an upset Light Side, lying at their mercy in their territory.

Deceit slowly tiptoed through the living room to the kitchen.

When he rounded the corner to a beautiful, window-filled room with expertly cleaned counters and a fridge at least two feet taller that Deceit himself. Their pantry, left wide open as if on display, made Deceit's mouth water like a starving sailor back from the sea. Behind all of his hunger, Deceit began to feel the beginning of resentment boil up inside him. 

Despite all of the great feelings he had experienced in the last half an hour or so, seeing such an exuberant amount of food reminded him of his hatred towards the Light Sides. Here they are, with their perfect lives and their stomachs full and more power individually than all of the Dark Sides put together, and they are left with nothing. Not even a good bed to sleep on. None of them were powerful. They couldn't just conjure up fancy luxuries like Roman no doubt did for the Consciousness.

Being a Dark Side, he will admit that his morals may be a little skewed. But in that moment, Deceit was sure that he was completely justified in taking from the lights food supply. They wouldn't miss it. And even if they did, Roman could just make some more. It's not like they would have to go without on his behalf. And they all needed food, the darks, not just him. They were all skinny, especially Defence. He was fierce when he needed to be, but he was so stifled by Thomas that he rarely had the will to fight anymore. Deceit was worried about him.

Deceit was spurred into action by the thought of his brethren. He raided the pantry then the fridge, taking small amounts of almost everything. He barely even looked at the labels before he collected up the food and shoved into a makeshift pouch made out of his shirt front. After some rearranging, one couldn't even tell that he was walking around with a bundle of food. He was set to go home. His home with his family.

Deceit could call it quits right now. He could go home and feed his kind and go to sleep full. But then he wouldn't get to see Anxiety. Virgil. Whatever.

Deceit and Anxiety maybe weren't always the nicest when they knew each other, but who was in the Subconscious? Everyone’s a little bit of an ass when life shits. Regardless of what they said to save face or blow off steam,Deceit felt like he and Anx had a little bit of a connection. He might even go so far as to say he was fond of him, before he left anyway. What he felt now, he wasn't really sure. Anger? Because he left the rest of the dark sides to rot after he got his fancy room upstairs? Or maybe joy, because Anx now had the chance to be truly happy. 

If Deceit was being honest with himself, he was mostly relieved. Thank whoever is listening that Anx, his little brother and favorite Dark Side and the purest little worry wart you’ve ever seen, got where he wanted to be. Thank them for letting his hard work pay off and his suffering end. His happiness was Deceit's happiness.

*

Turns out, finding the anxious corner of one's mind isn't that hard to find. He’s not kidding; piano music faded into a different key when he got close. It was like one of those stupid video games that played creepy music when the villain is near. Except the music was some sort of concerto in a minor key.

Deceit wouldn't be surprised if Logan was the one to set the different piano songs up about the house. He heard somewhere that piano can help to clear one's mind and to focus. Maybe it helps people fall asleep, too.

Either way, it seems fitting that Anx’s room would be surrounded by minor chords. They were sort of sad and seemed to convey emotion beyond the measure of words. 

The door to Anx’s room was shut, but with a turn of the knob it clicked. Not locked, then. If the door would have been locked, Deceit was sure he would have lost his nerve and left. But Anx left his door for anyone to come in if they so pleased.

Anxiety never left his door unlocked in the Subconscious. It wasn't really safe or smart to.

Maybe he shouldn't do this, Deceit thought while his grip on the door loosened. Sure, he was allowed by rule into the Consciousness, but entering someone's room was next level. He shifted from foot to foot in indecision. He did come all this way... It would be wasteful if Deceit didn't check on him. Irresponsible, even.

His concerned curiosity won out over his shakey morals and he reached for the door once again. He turned the knob as slow as he could, wincing at every click of the mechanics embedded in the door. He let go of the door carefully and swung it open. The door came to rest about three quarters of the way open, letting the soft natural light of the hall flood Anx's room. 

The first thing he noticed was the huge amount of stuff that littered the room. There were posters and creepy toys and lights that all contributed to an honestly very cool aesthetic, but it left Deceit feeling a little sour. Anx didn't use to have anything in his room past the absolute necessities. He had a lamp, a notebook, a pen, a desk, and a bed. Up here, he was being spoiled.

That's not your call to make, Deceit reminded himself. The lights are allowed to pamper him in any way they see fit,as long as they don’t hurt him.

Anx always did put too much faith in the lights. He took their words to heart too often. Deceit had enough tear stained nights with him to prove it.  
'You don't need them, Anx. You're better off here.’ He remembers lying to him every time. 'It's better down here anyway.’ Anxiety did not come to Deceit those nights to hear the truth, to know what he should do. He came to forget why he must do what he did. He did not make it to the Consciousness by a simple spur of the moment escapade. It took more blood, sweat, and tears that Anxiety would ever admit.

On the subject of sweat and tears, Deceit's eyes stopped traveling around the room and landed on a shaking form on the bed. “Anx,” he breathed.  
There was Anxiety. Sleeping. Crying. Hyperventilating.

Deceit felt a million things at once. Leave, your invading his privacy! Don't alarm him by just showing up, you'll scare him more! But he might be hurting himself and you could stop it! No, just leave! He'll be better off if you don't scare him!

Despite his outward thoughts opposing him, his feet carried him over to the bed. He saw his hands gently maneuvering Anx's head so that Deceit was sitting on the edge of the bed, petting it and crooning softly. Memories flooded his brain like a title wave crashing down on a beach shore. Memories of staying up late into the night just to calm Anx down. Promising to stay up and watch out for who knows what so he could rest. Calming him in his sleep just like this so he could stay asleep through the night.

They were close, before he left. 

Deceit's efforts to keep him asleep this time proved to be in vain as Anxiety woke up and bolted away from him in a half awake frenzy.  
Deceit put his hands up, not really having time to move anymore before their eyes meet.

“Deceit?” Virgil whispered in the dark, more in awe than in fright. “Well now I know I'm dreaming.” 

“Oh, definitely. I'll just go. This was all a dream.” Deceit’s instinct was to lie his way out of this potentially terrible situation as he made a move to stand up.

“No… stay for a while. I might no-” He yawned and rubbed his eyes. “I might not be dreaming.”  
Deceit blinked, confused. “If I wasn't a dream, you would want me to stay?” 

“I'm not sure…” Anx squinted his eyes and slapped his palms on to Deceit's chest. Deceit startled but stayed completely still as Virgil ran his hands up to his shoulders and squeezed. “Not a hallucination then.”

Deceit noticed very quickly that Anx was beginning to wake up. He was definitely going to alert the others. And take back the food and stuff him back into the Subconscious. Oh god oh god oh god.  
Deceit stood up and started backing slowly to the door. “Nope, not a hallucination. Just a dream! So don't even worry about it. Just go back to sleep and I'll be gone forever, as far as you'll know.” Panicking, he clutched at his food pouch with one hand while putting up another to placate Anx. He never should have come here. He never should have checked on Anxiety or calmed him down. He probably would have been fine. He didn't need Deceit. Not anymore.

Time slowed down as Deceit saw Anx reach out for his hand. He thought for a moment he was trying to grab his arm until he saw his glove—his precious, beautiful, necessary glove—being ripped violently off his left hand. Deceit blinked, wide eyes and trembling, to see a defensive Anxiety clutching his glove to his chest. Delicately, he asked “Anx? Can I have my glove please?”

Deceit needed his gloves on. He needed them like he needed water and air. Technically, he could go without them, but he hated to do so. He hated his hands. He hated the way they were scared and torn up and covered in cracked scales even after all this time.

Deceit couldn't think of a single instance that would make it okay for Anx to take his glove. Because Anxiety knew why he kept the gloves on; he was the only one who knew. The Anxiety that he told all of his darkest fears and pains too would have never used any of it against him.  
It was then that Deceit knew that he had to leave. He isn't safe with this stranger that he used to know. But before he could leave he had to get his glove back. 

“No.” Virgil stood and squared his stance. “If you are a dream, you'll leave without your glove. If not, then you have some serious explaining to do. I want to know what gives you the right to waltz in here like you own the place. You’re manipulating me. I will not fall for your tricks. If you think you can play the victim because I took your silly glove, you've got another thing coming. You can't hurt me.”

Deceit was shaking, trying his hardest not to think about the hideous hand balled up against his chest. What was Anxiety—no, Virgil—talking about? “Okay, okay. I'm not a dream. But I'm not going to hurt you!” Deceit was offended Anx would even think such a thing. “Did the Light Sides tell you that?”

Anxiety continued to stare at Deceit with cold eyes. A shiver coursed through Deceit's body. “Never mind. Listen, you know I would never hurt you! I'm only here because I wanted to see how you were doing. I think the lights told you something that isn't true, because this isn't you.”

Virgil's face twitched. “You're wrong. This is me. You are trying to hurt me. I won't let it happen.”

“Stop saying that.” Deceit took a shaky breath. “Whatever they said to you isn't true. You know me, remember? In the Subconscious, we were as close as too darks could be. I- we told each other our deepest secrets.”

Virgil was not moved. The lights must have really brainwashed him. “You used bait and lured me in. I was vulnerable and weak then, but not anymore. I know when you are lying. Why are you really here?” Virgil's voice had gathered a dangerous static. He was loud. The other sides would wake up at this rate.

“I'm not here to hurt you! I'll leave right now if you want, but I'm not leaving without my glove, Anx.”  
His gloved hand now covered his naked one against him and he could feel his mangled scales through the single glove he possessed. God, he despised this.

And huffed and shook his head. “Don’t call me that.”

“What?”

“Don’t call me ‘Anx’.” He looked at the ground and started backing up slowly. “That’s not me anymore.” His legs hit the edge of his bed and he fell, landing hard on his bed. 

Deceit had enough. ‘Virgil’ had taken the upper hand by stealing his glove then turned Deceit into the bad guy. Played the victim. Anxiety was not a victim. When Deceit knew him, he was a scared villain who couldn't bare to hurt people, even if they hurt him first. Deceit got into many fights on his behalf. If Virgil was going to play dirty, then Deceit had no problem fighting back.  
“Your right. You aren't Anx anymore. The Anxiety I knew wouldn't break down his ex-friend for answers. Anxiety wouldn’t fight dirty to gain an upper hand. You, Virgil,” he spat the name like blood pooled against his tongue and flung from his mouth, “Are not Anxiety. You may think you have grown into something better than him, being accepted by the lights. I guarantee you, you are worse. Someone has changed you.” Deceit swallowed and prepared himself for what he had to say next. “Hate me if you must, they have built you to do so, but don’t forget who you were. You had the privilege to start over as the good guy. It isn’t worth a damn if you throw away who you were. And give me my fucking glove back.”  
Virgil stared at him like he was seeing Deceit for the first time since he woke up. 

Deceit took his surprise as an advantage. Stepping forward, he snatched his glove back, slipping it on with franticness despite his otherwise eerily calm demeanor. On the way out the door, Deceit closed his eyes and whispered, “Goodbye, Virgil.”

*

Deceit was running. It way daylight and Virgil saw him and he's going to go tell the others and they're probably already awake and there going to lock him away and take back the food and then Remus and all the others won't eat—  
Why did he do that! Why did he go into Virgil's room? He should have known that he wasn't going to be the same person he was in the Subconscious. Of course he'd been changed!  
He is running down the hall past the lights’ rooms. He could hear Roman singing in the shower, Patton humming to himself in his room. Deceit will slip past all of them and he won’t come back for a long time. Coming up here in the first place was a mistake; seeing Virgil was a mistake; and staying so late into the morning was certainly a mistake. He was really cutting it close and he wasn’t out of danger yet.

As Deceit rounded the corner to the kitchen, he saw the worst thing. Shit.

Logan put down his utensils from cooking breakfast and turned around like he was expecting someone. “Hello, Deceit.” Crap frick shit hell damn it!

Deceit started to back up. He wasn't sure where he was going, but wherever it is, it'll be away from Logan.

“Don't bother running. The others will be coming out soon. I know you had an enlightening conversation with Virgil this morning. Was that enough to sedate your curiosity, or will you be staying a while?”

Deceit readjusted his stance, otherwise standing stock still. He was caught. Logan on one end, the rest of them on the other. He had no way to escape from whatever torturous things they wanted to do to him. 

Deceit could feel his legs growing weak under him. He was already caught, he might as well make it easier for them. He slowly collapsed into a heap against the wall.

*

Logan's eyebrows shot up as Deceit sunk to the floor. As his form relaxed and his eyes closed, Logan inferred that he fainted. Whether it was in fright or fatigue, he couldn’t quite tell.

He carefully walked over Deceit, mindful of his lack of movement. It could be a fasade and he could jump up and disable him at any moment. When he was about halfway across the kitchen he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.  
“L-Logan?” There stood Patton looking from the yellow and black heap on the floor to Logan and back.

Logan realized pretty quickly how bad the situation looked. “Patton, do not be alarmed. Deceit came into the room, I spoke a few words to him, and he collapsed. I have my suspicions that he may have fainted from fright, as I did bring up the fact that he was in a compromised position.”

Patton took a few seconds to take in this new information. Then, before Logan could begin to protest, he ran over and fell to his knees by Deceit.

“Patton-!”

“No, he’s scared! We have to help him!” Patton cooed and whispered to the sleeping Deceit. “It's going to be okay, kiddo. I'm gonna help you.”

“Patton, he's unconscious; he can't hear you. Also, he could wake up at any moment and your position in relation to him really isn't ideal-”

Patton completely ignored Logan's protests in favor of inspecting Deceit. “He's got a fever. Get a cool cloth for his head, please.”  
“Patton, listen to me. He fainted. It is estimated one to two minutes before any person should wake up after fainting unless the subject is in need of prompt medical assistance by trained professionals. What I'm saying is, Deceit is likely to become aware in two minutes tops and you are worryingly close to said Dark Side.”

“No! You listen to me! There is a side on the floor, unconscious and sick, and you expect me to just get up and see what happens? We can help him! He’s sick and so very skinny. Look.” Patton pushed Deceit's sleeve up carefully to reveal a very thin forearm. “I'm not about to just leave him because he might be scared! He needs food and medicine, probably. We can give him what he needs and you want me to stand back like he's some rabid animal.”

Logan knew two minutes was almost up. Either Deceit was dying (unlikely) or he was about to wake up with Patton very close to him. “Because he's a Dark Side! We can't afford to trust him with any of our well being. He's going to hurt you because he is scared. That's just how it goes in the Subconscious. Fear is scorned but violence is not. So please, to avoid preventable injury, move to where I'm located at the very least.”  
Patton knew that what Logan said was right, it often was. But he didn't want to treat Deceit like an out of control animal. “We should at least give him a chance.”

“A chance to hurt you?! No!” Logan had enough of this. He had tried to explain to Patton why this was an issue, but like always he refused to listen. Confident steps lead Logan closer to Patton, aiming to just pull him back and be done with it.

*

Deceit may have fainted. He thinks it had something to do with the fact that he hadn't slept in a week and tried to run for an extended period of time. Logan showing up gave him a high dose of adrenaline, but it didn’t last because he had no reserves left. He guessed he wasn't our for long because he only heard two of the sides talking. If the whole crew wasn't here, he had time.  
Slowly he opened one eye, just enough to see Logan stalking towards him. Panicking, he jumped up. Logan jumped back in surprise  
.  
Patton then said something to Deceit, not that he heard any of it past the blood rushing in his ears. He was cornered. Logan was further away and he thought it was safe to wager that Patton was the weaker of the two so he grabbed him roughly by the collar and pinned his hands behind his back.

“Don't come any closer or he'll get hurt.” Deceit forced through gritted teeth. As Logan stood still, wide eyed (but thinking a mile a minute about how to get Patton to safety, Deceit was sure), Deceit took stock of his position. He had one of the sides. They wouldn't risk one of their own so he was theoretically safe until Patton got away. Speaking of, that didn't seem to likely. Patton, for some odd reason, wasn't struggling at all. In fact, he was completely pliant. He was still babbling something to Deceit quietly, like he didn't want anyone else to hear.

“It’s okay. I know you're scared but we can help you. I can help you! If you let go of me, I'll get the others to back off, I promise. They don't want to hurt you. They just want me safe. You let go and you'll be safe.”

Tempting, but no. Deceit had never seen anyone use the “you're safe with me” tactic in the Dark Sides but it wasn't surprising that Patton used it. He had no brawns and select brains, so it was only logical that he'd have his own tempting tactics to keep himself safe.

Suddenly, two groups of footsteps were heard nearing the kitchen. Timing was really not on his side today. Ha.

None other than Virgil and Roman rounded the corner to the mess that was the current situation the sides found themselves in. Great. Just who he wanted to see. His ex-friend who had no qualms with using his past against him and the sword wielder.

As Roman gasped in horror and drew his sword to protect his compromised friend, Virgil stepped behind him. Coward.

Staring a samurai sword in the face made Deceit hyper aware of the fact that he had no weapon and no protection besides a human shield who could fight back at a moment's notice if he so desired. He was against a wall and surrounded, so he couldn't run. There was no getting out of this. He felt his eyes stinging. He was going to be thrown in a dungeon or locked away so he couldn't see Thomas anymore. The Subconscious was going to be watched so none of his family will ever be free. All because he was a dumbass and got curious.

“Back, you fiend! Release the innocent or be slayed at the hand of my beautiful blade.”  
Yeah. More like let go of Patton AND get slayed. Roman wants Patton out of harm's way so he could get to me easier, Deceit thought. “Not a chance, Prince Shit.”

“Language.” Patton said quietly, as if he knew it wasn't the time, but did it anyway. It was almost funny, his caring about such a childish thing. It would have been hilarious if Deceit didn't feel like his life was on the line.

It reminded him of when he was posing as Patton. How, despite hearing all sorts of theories from Anx, he couldn't begin to emulate Patton. He went so far as to reveal himself then sink out in defeat.

At that moment, Deceit had a wonderful, amazing, superb, why-didn’t-I-think-of-that-sooner idea. He could sink out from Thomas' World to the Subconscious.

“English.” Deceit smirked and let go of Patton. As the other sides rushed for him, he sunk out of the Conciseness into Thomas’ living room accompanied by a very sleepy Thomas. Thomas didn't even register Deceits presence before he sunk out again, this time back to his the stairs of the Subconscious. The Lights knew where he went, Deceit was sure, but it didn't matter. He was safe here. They wouldn't attack him on his own domain. 

*

Deceit was back. Back home where no one was out to get him and life was predictable.

Almost immediately after he made it back to the Subconscious the Dark Sides flocked him like wolves to a carcass. His sneaking about last night proved in vain because everyone knew where he had gone. And they all had questions.  
“How did-?” “Are you-?” “-they after you?” “-see anything-?” 

The words crashed together and bounced off the echoey hall like angry waves crashing over them. Deceit didn't want to answer their nosey questions; he wanted to go to his familiar dwelling and sleep for a thousand years. He was overstimulated and wrung out and just plain tired. He started elbowing his way through the small crowd. 

“Shut up, I'll talk to you later,” Deceit scowled. But, of course, they were having none of it. He was swallowed by the Darks; the cacophony growing around him when everyone started yelling to be heard over each other. It made Deceit want to squeeze his eyes shut and slip away. Preferably into something thick and black and gooey.

He tried to get through the crowd again when he felt his shirt shift unnaturally. It was at that moment that Deceit was reminded of the foodstuffs on his person. He was genuinely surprised the food followed him to the Subconscious. He half expected it to refuse to be taken to the Subconscious.

He knew how to command a crowd. He was the oldest and most powerful of the Dark Sides, after all. He gathered himself and stared them all down until their yells trickled away into blessed silence. 

Only when every last one of them shit their mouths did he speak. “If you all leave it alone, I'll give you something hateful from upstairs.”

The Dark Sides looked at him expectantly. They understood the terms; what was in it for them?

Deceit dropped the food on the ground, grateful to let go of the bag of bricks around his midsection.

“Make sure everyone gets some, I'll know if you take more than you need.” He shot a pointed look towards Greed. Not accusatory, just a warning. 

Deceit lifted his chin in fake superiority--he felt like he was going to faint again, honestly--and stalked away from his family. He trusted them to all take enough for themselves. Sure, some will take more than others. But in the end they were all Dark Sides. They would fight to the death for what they needed. 

Deceit made it back to his room and slipped inside silently. He was glad to be back, but it was hard to be the responsible one all the time. The Dark Sides keep their distance from each other most days but it was unofficially decided that Deceit was the one to keep everyone in line. Yet another reason he wants to live in the Consciousness. 

He had to stop thinking that. He couldn't live there. He couldn't even visit anymore without the threat of his head coming off. 

Deceit groaned at the thought of the recent events regarding the Light Sides. The exchange went about as he expected it. Patton tried to lower his guard. Logan accused him of the worst. Roman tried to kill him. And Virgil? Well he did nothing to stop them.

The glove thing was something he did not expect. No matter. That just proves to Deceit that Anx is dead. Unfortunate, but nothing to cry over.

They're all cowards, the lot of them.

Deceit sat in his beanbag chair in the corner of his room and sunk down into a very relaxed slouch. It was far from comfy so he avoided it most of the time, but it was one of those things that you couldn't take for granted as a Dark Side. Shifting his weigh back and forth he tried to settle his way in between the hard lumps of the chair. It certainly wasn't the Light Sides’ couch, but it was all his. And that was all Deceit cared about. 

*

He must have fallen into a pretty deep sleep at some point because he was startled awake some time later by a knock on his door. “Go 'way. Quid pro quo, remember?” He grumbled, hoping whatever someone needed could wait just a few more hours. It felt like he never got enough sleep anymore. 

Two more soft knocks. “Dee?” 

Crap. It was Defence. No more sleep for him, then.

“Come in,” he sighed as he stumbled across the room to unlock his door.

Defence slipped through the door, closing the door and quickly locking it behind him.

After a substantial pause, Deceit slowly raised his hand to meet Defence’s face. He lifted his chin so their eyes met.

Defence was not a brave person. He was quiet and reserved most of the time, but don't let his exterior deceive you. All of the darks knew he had no problem playing scrappy to get what he needs. He has to live up to his name, after all.  
But generally, Defence did not fight for himself. He will go after someone if it's for something rightfully his, but he does not have a problem being forgotten in favor of staying in the background. Call him scared if you'd like, but Deceit knows better. Looking into his calm face at that moment, even a fool could tell it was a facade. Defence had been around as long as Deceit. He knew how to play the game.

Regardless, Defence had a soft spot in Deceit's heart. He acted so like Anxiety sometimes it hurt. The three of them were fairly close before Virgil's disappearing act.

Still holding his face like a delicate flower, he said “What's wrong, Def?” 

Deceit looked into his peirsing, questioning eyes like they might answer his question before the beholder could. But Defence's gaze dropped like it was suddenly weighed down by a dozen bolders. “I dunno.” He turned his face away, taking his chin out of Deceit's hand.

“Sure you do. You came all this way. What's on your mind?”  
Defence shook his head. “Never mind. It doesn't really matter, anyway. Sorry to bother you.” He spun around to leave the room.

“Hey. You can go if you want, but I could use some company, even if it is quiet company.” Deceit didn't really want to entertain someone right now, he was still fucking tired. But Defence's won't open up to him if he doesn't invite him to stay for a bit. 

And the cute little smile over his shoulder as he turned to face Deceit once more made it so worth it.

Deceit sat onhis bed and patted the spot next to him. “Sit with me?” 

Defence nodded and sat next to him. The two sat in a confortable silence for a while. 

“So…” Defence said after becoming a little more comfortable with his surroundings. “How'd it go.”

Deceit grinned, “Beautifully! My head was chopped off and I was shipped away to the circus.”

“Smartass. You knew what I meant.” 

“Yeah,” Deceit sighed. After a moment or two he admitted “I got cornered. So, that was fun.”

Defence snapped his eyes over to Deceit. “No kidding? How are you not locked up in a basement?”

“Haha.” Deceit rolled his eyes and laughed sarcasticly.” I sunk into Thomas's world then straight back here. I should have thought of it before I went and announced myself.”

Defence met Deceit's eyes, then darted them to the floor, then back up. “What?” Deceit asked. “Do I have something on my face?” Then he laughed cruelly, dragging a gloves finger over his scalley jaw.

“No.” Defence licked his lips. “I was wondering if maybe, possibly, by a slight chance... you talked to Anx?”

Oh, superb. That's what Def wanted to talk about. The number one thing he wanted to block out of his memory forever. Virgil.

“Uh, yes. I talked to him.” It was Deceit's turn to study the floor like hieroglyphic answers might form for him. “He's a light now.”

Defence looked detected. “He's not coming back then?” 

“No. But trust me. He's not the same. You wouldn't want him back.”

“Oh.” Defence squinted his eyes, confused. “So, he's worse now? How's that?”

Deceit caught himself tapping his foot nervously and stopped. “He just is.”

“He musta done something pretty shitty for you not to want him back. You guys were really close.”

“Of course I want him back! It's him that doesn't want to!”

He didn't want to talk about this. He didn't have to talk about it, either. He could tell Def to shove it and kick him out. He stew be alone for as long as he wanted, pretending the world didn't exist. His room could be his world now. 

But then Def wouldn't have any friends. The other darks we're too rough for him in his weakened state. He would pick fights too big for him and he'd get hurt. Deceit didn't really have a choice here.

He told Defence about how Virgil woke up wanting answers. How Deceit tried to leave, but Virgil took his glove. How he accused Deceit of manipulating him.

“He didn't believe me when I told the truth, go figure. So he wouldn't give it back. Then he said something like 'I’m not Anxiety anymore, I’m Virgil.’ And so I told him off and got my glove back.”

Def stared at Deceit like the world layed at his finger tips. “Then what happened?”  
“I ran. The other sides were awake by then. That's when I got cornered.”

“Oh.”

“Yep.”

Def looked nonchalant, but Deceit wasn't fooled. “I guess I just thought he'd hate it there. You know, because of the Lights. Guess not.”  
Deceit also looked away. “We're in the same boat, believe me.”

In a leap of faith, Deceit lifted his arm slowly around Def. He would always half hug Anx when he needed comfort and Deceit was really craving the feeling of another person for some reason.

Surprisingly, Defence didn't pull away. Instead, he swivled a one eighty and gripped Deceit in a full hug. Deceit startled slightly, but wrapped his other arm around Defence just as tightly.

There they stayed, safe in each other's arms, mourning the loss of their long since changed friend.  
~


End file.
